In a travelling environment in which rigs are getting ever bigger and ever more luxurious, there remains a band of diehard grey nomads who insist traditional camping under canvas is the only way to go.
Among their number are Les and Helen Barker who hit the open road in a 2012 Toyota Camry … and a rotating cast of Op Shop-bought tents that generally cost between $50 and $100.
“We have had a three room one in the past, we once swagged it for three months to WA, and now a have double stretcher/tent combination,” said Helen. “We stay everywhere from small towns to cities, showgrounds to caravan parks, and national parks to bush camps.”
The couple, who are in their 60s, travel with two small butane stoves to cook on, basic cooking gear, and plenty of tinned and packet food as they don’t have a fridge.
Les and Helen are happy with their current setup
“If we stay in town, we buy fresh produce and get cheap meals at pubs where our seniors cards come in handy,” said Helen. “We try to spend money in small towns and, as we don’t have a toilet, we need basic facilities.”
Les and Helen travel on an extremely tight budget and spend anything from three to six months on the road at any one time.
“The only time it gets a bit annoying is in constant rain, gales and 40-degree days,” said Helen. “But, other than that, we would not swap with overpriced rigs as it is an authentic and sometimes humorous way to travel.”
They say one of the upsides of life under canvas is the social side, and they have interacted happily with everyone from overseas travellers and homeless people to a couple riding a tandem bike from Melbourne to Brisbane!
“We find that instead of hiding away in a rig we sit around and talk to everyone and anyone,” said Helen. “Everyone has a story and have had varied and interesting trials in their life … we’ve learnt a lot and experienced a lot.”
On the flip side, the Barkers say snobbery of the road is very much alive and well.
“We get looked down on many times by people in flash rigs,” said Helen. “One woman even took one look at us and scurried inside her van!”
While one of the big advantages of tenting should be its affordability, Helen says times they are a-changin’.
“We are finding it increasingly hard to find tent accommodation as we are seen as lower class,” she said. “And self-contained camps won’t let us stay there, even if there are facilities.”
The pair say they generally pay from $25 to $60 at caravan parks, although they actively avoid the more expensive, high-tourism areas.
“However, our set-up means we have stayed in places no one goes to,” said Helen. “And we will continue to travel in our tent and Camry for as long as we can, and as far as we can!”
WIN IT-FIT CARAVAN SHEETS
Grey Nomad members are being given the chance to win some specially made caravan sheets, courtesy of competition sponsor, It-Fits.
It-Fits caravan sheets are made from soft, 100%-Australian, cotton jersey and naturally stretch and flex to adapt to different mattress shapes and sizes without needing custom-made sheets. They fit rounded corners, narrow caravan beds, bunk mattresses, and non-standard sizes while still staying smooth and secure.
Click here to learn more about the competition and how to enter.
